Will People Explode in the Vacuum of Space

Space is a terrible, empty nothingness that’s out to explode our fragile bodies. It’s common knowledge that, when exposed to the vacuum of space, our blood will boil and our precious, pressurised internals will seek an exit from the nearest orifice.

THE REALITY

The vacuum of space is deadly, there’s no doubt about that. But, actually, your connective tissues do an excellent job of holding everything in place and, thanks to your skin, neither will your blood boil; think about it – if that were the case then no one would be able to climb Everest or sky-dive and survive.

So the most immediate problem you will have is breathing: holding your breath prior to entering a vacuum can injure your lungs and, without oxygen, you will quickly black out.

Exposure to intense UV radiation will cause serious sunburn too and without sufficient insulation, you will eventually succumb to the cold. Still, it’s nice to know that if someone does accidentally eject you from the airlock, you won’t pop like a balloon.